This Taco Skillet is an easy, one-pan dinner made with ground beef, beans, salsa, and seasonings. It comes together quickly and makes an easy weeknight dinner.
This Taco Skillet is one of the easiest ways to get a flavorful dinner on the table without a lot of prep or cleanup. The ground beef cooks with onion, garlic, taco seasoning, and salsa, creating a rich, savory base that’s ready in minutes.
Pinto beans add extra texture and make the dish more filling, while a sprinkle of cheese brings everything together. The best part is how versatile it is. It can be served as a skillet meal, spoon it into tacos, use it for burrito bowls, or pile it onto chips for nachos. It’s a simple, family-friendly recipe that works for busy weeknights and easy entertaining.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Ground beef: I like to use 85-88% lean ground beef. You can substitute ground turkey or ground chicken if you prefer.
- Taco seasoning: You can use store bought taco seasoning or make homemade taco seasoning.
- Pinto beans: Or use black beans.
- Salsa: Use your favorite type of chunky tomato salsa.
How to make taco skillet
Here you’ll find instructions and step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step 1: Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
Step 2: Add the ground beef, and brown, stirring to break up as you cook it. Drain and return the ground beef to the skillet.
Step 3: Stir in the onion, and cook, stirring regularly, for about 3 minutes or until the onion has softened.
Step 4: Add garlic and taco seasoning, and cook for 30 seconds, stirring the entire time.
Step 5: Stir in the pinto beans and salsa. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Step 6: Sprinkle the cheese over the top, and cover to let the cheese melt before serving with desired toppings.
Recipe Tips!
- Stretch this recipe: To stretch this recipe, add a second can of beans.
- Serving suggestions: Serve this skillet with either tortilla chips or corn chips, like Frito’s, (my family’s favorite choice). You could also serve it with rice in a bowl or in a tortilla. Top it with guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream, or your favorite taco toppings.
- Spicy: To give the skillet some heat, use spicy salsa and hot taco seasoning.
Storage
Store any leftover taco skillet in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 4 days when properly stored in the fridge.
More Tex Mex ground beef dinner recipes!
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Taco Skillet Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
- 1 medium white or yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ounce packet taco seasoning
- 15 ounce can pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce jar tomato salsa
- 1 cups shredded cheddar or cheddar Jack cheese
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the ground beef, and brown, stirring to break up as you cook it. Drain and return the ground beef to the skillet.1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
- Stir in the onion, and cook, stirring regularly, for about 3 minutes or until the onion has softened.1 medium white or yellow onion
- Add garlic and taco seasoning, and cook for 30 seconds, stirring the entire time.4 cloves garlic, 1 ounce packet taco seasoning
- Stir in the pinto beans and salsa. Simmer for 10 minutes.15 ounce can pinto beans, 15 ounce jar tomato salsa
- Remove from heat.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the top, and cover to let the cheese melt before serving with desired toppings.1 cups shredded cheddar or cheddar Jack cheese
Notes
- Ground beef: I like to use 85-88% lean ground beef. You can substitute ground turkey or ground chicken if you prefer.
- Taco seasoning: You can use store bought taco seasoning or make homemade taco seasoning.
- Pinto beans: Or use black beans.
- Salsa: Use your favorite type of chunky tomato salsa.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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